About | Faculty Development | Assessment | e-Learning

Hello Creighton Colleagues,  
The fall semester is in full-swing and as we near our Fall Break, I invite you to consider carving out some time to invest in small opportunities to enhance and grow in your faculty role. The CFE has some ideas for you!

Interested in learning more about generative AI, like ChatGPT?  Check out our Generative AI Resources BlueLine site! You can self-enroll here.  

Looking to be inspired with some new ideas and perspectives on how you can help students learn?

Register to attend our virtual conversation on Oct. 18th from noon-1 pm with Todd D. Zakrajsek, PhD, author of The New Science of Learning: How to Learn in Harmony With Your Brain. This book is available as an ebook through our University Libraries. Let’s show Dr. Zakrajsek a warm Creighton welcome!

Wanting to catch up on CFE presentations you missed? Visit Bridge and search for on-demand presentations from CFE Faculty Associates and collaborative partners.

I wish you well as we transition to the second half of another semester. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the CFE with questions and ideas. 

Lou Jensen, OTD, OTR/L
Associate Vice Provost- Interim, Center for Faculty Excellence

Nomination deadline: Oct. 10 at 10:00 a.m. The Call for Nominations for the Distinguished Educator in Teaching as Scholarship Award is now open:  Faculty are invited to self-nominate or recommend faculty for this University-wide teaching award, to be granted at the February 2024 Convocation.  Read instructions for completing the online application.  

Faculty and Professional Staff who teach are invited to submit grant proposals which support newly-initiated or early stage assessment of student learning, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), and/or related faculty development projects. Grant award project timeframe: January 1, 2024-May 9, 2025.  Grants of $500 - $2000 are awarded competitively to fund projects led by benefit-eligible faculty or professional staff who teach or collaborative teams.  Read the grant call for proposals.  Download the application for grant proposals.  Email proposal to Mary Emmer.  Review of proposals begins Nov. 8, 2023.  

Oct. 18:  A virtual conversation with Todd D. Zakrajsek, PhD, author of The New Science of Learning: How to Learn in Harmony With Your Brain. Learn more and register.  

Oct. 20, Nov. 3, & Nov. 17: Against Returning to Normal: The New College Classroom: Book Club with Brooke Kowalke, PhD, English & Medical Humanities, College of Arts & Sciences & School of Medicine, CFE Faculty Associate & Cristina Velez, MS. Ed., Instructional Designer, CFE. Learn more and register.

CFE invites faculty and professional staff who teach, as a part of your ongoing formation experiences, to actively engage with a community of scholars in teaching excellence.  When we join together as a collaborative, educational community, we encourage and are able to celebrate the best of Creighton’s educational experiences.  

To explore and register for faculty development programs that best match your interests and availability, visit the CFE page on Bridge, Creighton’s training, learning and professional development platform:   

October: Programs in date order.

November: Programs in date order.

Recorded Programs: On-Demand in Bridge

Did you know you have access to previous CFE program recordings and materials?  If you wish to watch a presentation, we encourage you to register for the on-demand course in Bridge.  When you select register, Bridge will place the on-demand course in your personal dashboard where you can access the recording and program materials 24/7 at a time that is most convenient for YOU! 

Oct. 3: Internal Grant Program Panel with Amanda Holman, PhD, Center for Undergraduate Research & Scholarship; Barbara Bittner, MA, CRA, Sponsored Programs Administration; Charise Alexander Adams, Kingfisher Institute; Scott Shipman, MD, MPH, Institute for Population Health; Lou Jensen, OTD, OTR/L, Center for Faculty Excellence; and moderator Julie Strauss-Soukup, BS, PhD, Associate Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship. Register.

Nov. 7: Research Networking & Happy Hour with focus on "Building Your Research Skills" with faculty colleagues and Julie Strauss-Soukup, BS, PhD, Associate Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship, Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences as moderator (Watch for announcement in mid-October.)  

Hosted by the University Assessment Committee and the CFE, this year’s symposium will once again include a virtual poster session and workshops.  Each session will provide an opportunity for faculty and staff who support curricular and co-curricular activities to consider what others across the university are doing to keep student learning assessment simple.  Click on program title to register in Bridge. Contact Sarah Oliver with questions. 

I have been an Exam Developer with the Center for Faculty Excellence for the last 4 years. As an Exam Developer with the Center for Faculty Excellence, I primarily support the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, working with faculty to deliver high-stakes exams. I enjoy building relationships with Creighton Faculty and Staff and helping improve the student testing experience. I am originally from Michigan but now consider Omaha my home. Outside of work, I like spending time with my family, cooking, and watching sports.

Educators are steeped in concern over the impact Generative AI will have on learning. There is an understandable level of caution over the new technology, but there are also opportunities and possibilities it can provide as well. In an EDUCAUSE QuickPoll survey of higher education stakeholders, 65 percent of respondents believe "the use of generative AI in higher ed has more benefits than drawbacks." While there are many considerations to be made, being adequately and accurately informed on this evolving topic is paramount. In that light, the CFE has created a Blueline site titled “Generative AI Resources” that houses curated, regularly-updated resources faculty can easily access in one centralized location to stay current and informed.

Instructors have the option for final grades in Blueline to be calculated using total points, or by weighted categories. This is accomplished using assignment groups via the assignments tab. See the Canvas Instructor Guide for more information on how to weight the final course grade based on assignment groups.

Creighton has partnered with Canvas Support to provide BlueLine support even when the CFE and myIT Service Desk are unavailable. You can call, chat, or email Canvas Support for all questions or problems related to BlueLine. Canvas Support contact information can be found via the Help button in the navigation bar in BlueLine.

Lou Jensen, Associate Vice Provost-Interim: LouJensen@creighton.edu | 402.280.5678 
Faculty Development: 
   - MaryEmmer@Creighton.edu | 402.280.4997
Assessment: SarahOliver1@Creighton.edu | 402.280.3906  
eLearning:
  - Instructional Design Team: elearning@creighton.edu | hotline 402.280.3428  
  - Exam/Online Proctoring Team: exams@creighton.edu | hotline: 402.280.5665    
  - eLearning & Media Design: PhilBeagle@Creighton.edu | 402.280.3055